I Wish
by Danja
Summary: Genies aren't always possessed by nice people. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**I Wish …**

**Chapter One

* * *

**

_In ancient times, my kind was considered the exclusive property of sheikhs, sultans, emirs, and caliphs._

_If ever a bottle containing one of my kind came into the possession of a peasant, entire armies would be mobilized to retrieve it.

* * *

_

KINGSTON, JAMAICA

TEN YEARS AGO

* * *

David Michael "Faisal" St. Gregory walked along the deserted beach. It was two in the morning, and most of Kingston was asleep.

He was nineteen, tall, wiry in appearance (Grinding poverty having long had taken its toll on him.) His hair was close-cropped, his skin was deep brown. He walked the beach barefoot, dressed only in a T-shirt and cutoff blue jeans.

_How ever am I going to repay Charlie? _he thought as he walked along the beach. A small-time pot dealer, it went without saying that he owed a lot of money to a LOT of people.

A flash of light appeared in the sand just ahead of Faisal in the moonlight. Faisal raced ahead, only to find a mysterious antique brown bottle half-buried in the sand.

_What is this? _Faisal wondered as he picked up the bottle. His curiosity piqued, he uncorked the stopper.

All at once, a plume of brown smoke shot out of the bottle. Startled, Faisal dropped the bottle.

The plume of smoke resolved itself into the figure of a short muscular man dressed in white harem pants, a white vest trimmed with cobalt blue silk, and a white turban. His skin was light-to-medium brown.

The being bowed deeply before Faisal. "I am Naseem," he intoned. "Your wish ... is my command."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two

* * *

**

BISCAYNE BAY

MIAMI, FLORIDA

PRESENT DAY

* * *

"They went off without a hitch," said the henchman to Faisal. He, Faisal, and Naseem were in Faisal's lavishly appointed living room. "Avila, Hernandez, and Sinclair are all deceased."

"Thank you, Peter," said Faisal. Now twenty-nine, he sat on his expensive forest-green Italian leather sofa. He was dressed in expensive blue silk pajamas and cradling a glass of $150-per-bottle Cristal champagne. "You may go now."

The henchman nodded slightly, turned, and walked out the door.

"Naseem, you have outdone yourself," said Faisal, grinning broadly as the henchman left. "Three hits made to look like natural causes. I'm impressed."

"Thank you, Master," Naseem replied. As far as the rest of Faisal's gang was concerned, he was regarded as being "that weird little Arab guy the boss always keeps around." Nothing was known about his true identity as a genie.

"I crave power," said Faisal.

"Master, you are already the most powerful drug dealer in South Florida," said Naseem.

"I crave _more_," said Faisal.

_Famous last words, _Naseem thought. "There is ONE way," he said.

"Then do it," commanded Faisal.

"I must warn you," said Naseem. "It is not without _risk_."

"What must I do?" Faisal asked.

"It involves the sacrifice … of a virgin genie … under the light of a full moon," said Naseem.

"Find me this virgin genie," said Faisal.

"Master, the virgin of which I speak is the son … of a genie," said Naseem. "A_ POWERFUL_ genie."

Faisal cocked an eyebrow and asked teasingly, "Surely _you_ are as powerful as this other genie, are you not?"

Naseem sighed, bowed, and said, "Thy will be done, Master."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

"How did this happen?" Jeannie asked. She was sitting in the office of Stephen Pritchard, Assistant Principal at Cocoa High School.

Today, Jeannie was "going mortal". She was wearing a white cotton dress dotted with small black polka dots and white pumps on her feet. Every bit appearing the typical mortal housewife and mother.

"We're not sure," Mr. Pritchard replied. He was sitting behind his desk, directly across from Jeannie. "He just … _disappeared._"

" 'Disappeared?' How?"

"Disappeared … Poof … Into thin air," Mr. Pritchard replied. "No one saw him leave. No one saw him climb out the window. He just … _vanished._"

"I see," said Jeannie. "Where was he when this happened? What was he doing?"

Mr. Pritchard thumbed through a pile of notes sitting on his desk. "Anthony was in … English class," he said, reading from a file.

Mr. Pritchard handed a business card to Jeannie across the desk and said, "We've notified the police. Everything you need to know … the investigating officer, the report number, what-have-you … is on this card."

Jeannie stood up, accepted the business card from Mr. Pritchard, shook his hand, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Pritchard."

"I hope Anthony's OK," said Mr. Pritchard as he shook Jeannie's hand.

"Do not worry, Mr. Pritchard," said Jeannie as she turned to leave. "I will take care of everything."

* * *

_Something is wrong, _Jeannie thought as she walked back towards her car. _This is not like him._

Jeannie stopped suddenly and glanced around, taking care that no one was watching. She then ducked behind a nearby alcove, folded her arms in front of her chest, blinked, and disappeared into thin air.

_I am getting to the bottom of this.

* * *

_

Jeannie -- now shrunken to six inches high -- reappeared behind a nearby dumpster, out of sight of prying eyes.

Jeannie crouched down on the ground and blinked again. A transparent magical orb appeared on the ground before her. Images of a swamp appeared inside the orb.

_The Everglades, _Jeannie thought as she made a magical gesture, dissolving the orb. _It is as good a place as any to begin looking. _With that, she stood up, folded her arms in front of her chest, blinked, and disappeared into thin air once more.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four

* * *

**

Anthony Nelson Jr. ("Tony" to his friends) paced inside the squat, cinder-block, one room blockhouse. A barred door served as the building's only window to the outside.

Tony Jr. was seventeen, tall, lean, and athletic. He had his father's dark brown hair and blue eyes.

"What do you _WANT_ with me?" Tony Jr. barked at Naseem, who was standing sentry duty outside.

"You are to be sacrificed under the full moon tonight," Naseem replied calmly.

"You're just gonna let him _KILL_ me?!" Tony Jr. exclaimed, outraged.

"It is not my decision to make," Naseem replied flatly. "Faisal is my master … and I …"

"You're his genie," Tony Jr. concluded, finishing Naseem's sentence.

"Yes," Naseem replied

"So you think nothing of killing me, no questions asked?" Tony Jr. inquired.

"I do not particularly _enjoy_ it, if that is what you are asking," Naseem replied smoothly.

_Something on the order of going to the supermarket, _Tony Jr. thought dryly.

* * *

_Anthony is nearby. I can sense his presence, _Jeannie thought as she walked alongside the highway. The endless swamp that was the Florida Everglades lay on either side of the road. There was nothing but a vast river of grass, trees, palmettos, and dried, cracked mud as far as the eye could see.

Today, Jeannie had abandoned her usual harem costume in favor of a less conspicuous outfit consisting of sneakers, blue jeans, a white cotton blouse, and a green leather jacket.

_He is here … and yet, he is not, _Jeannie thought, puzzled. _There is nothing here except grass, trees, and swamp._

All at once, Jeannie noticed a wide shell road leading out of the swamp to the highway. The road was cut short by a patch of sawgrass.

_A road to nowhere,_ she thought as she took note of the road.

_Or_ IS _it …?_

Jeannie cupped her hand and blinked. A heavy glass spyglass suddenly appeared in her cupped hand.

Jeannie mouthed an incantation. She then put the spyglass up to her eye and looked down the shell road. Where before there was nothing but sawgrass and palmettos, there now lay in the distance three warehouses and a gathering of cars, trucks, and SUVs.

_An enchantment, _Jeannie thought. _Who is behind this … and _WHY? _What are they hiding?_

_Even more importantly, what do they want with _ANTHONY?

Jeannie ducked behind a nearby bush, out of sight of the passing traffic. She sat down cross-legged on the ground and blinked. A large transparent magical orb suddenly appeared upon the ground before her.

Images of Faisal suddenly appeared within the orb. Images of Faisal's past in Jamaica. Images of Faisal and Naseem together.

_I am fighting another genie, _Jeannie concluded silently.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Night had fallen. The full moon shone brightly over The Everglades.

Faisal's compound was abuzz with activity. His henchmen were unloading bundles wrapped in black plastic garbage bags from heavy trucks and putting them inside one of the warehouses.

Surrounding the warehouses were the cars and trucks of Faisal's henchmen, plus one ridiculously expensive late-model Cadillac Escalade SUV belonging to none other than Faisal himself.

Faisal and Naseem stood to one side of the warehouse, observing the scene. A henchman jogged over carrying a stuffed navy blue duffel bag.

"Sir, the shipment has arrived. Just as you requested," said the henchman as he opened the duffel bag for Faisal to inspect. Inside the duffel bag sat thirty kilos of marijuana.

"Very good," said Faisal with an approving nod. "Go."

As the henchman jogged away, Faisal turned to Naseem. "It is time," he said. "Prepare the boy."

* * *

"You don't have to do this," said Tony Jr. as Naseem bound his wrists together with rope.

"I have no choice," said Faisal as he tightened Tony Jr.'s bonds. "Faisal is my master …"

"You're his genie," said Tony Jr. "I know."

Naseem glanced around, taking care to see that no one was watching. He then blinked. A ring suddenly appeared between his thumb and index finger (It had a round lapis lazuli stone set on a silver band.)

"Take this ring, my child," said Naseem as he placed the ring on Tony Jr.'s left pinkie finger.

"What does THIS do?" Tony Jr. asked.

"You possess the powers of the djinn, my child," said Naseem quietly. "With this ring, you will be able to wield them.

"Use them … to escape."

"But I HAVE no powers!" Tony Jr. protested.

"Your powers are considerable, my child," said Naseem softly. "They are greater than you realize.

"They need but be … _engaged._"

"Why are you helping me?" Tony Jr. asked.

"I will soon be taking my leave of Faisal," said Naseem. "My crimes are many. I have been summoned to Djinnistan … to answer for them."

"If you are to be killed, it is Faisal who must do the deed," Naseem continued. "I have no desire to shed … _innocent_ blood."

"I don't know how to wield my powers!"

"They will come to you … when the time is right," said Naseem.

* * *

Naseem led Tony Jr. back to Faisal, who was milling about with several of his henchmen in the center of the compound.

Faisal and his henchmen were armed to the teeth -- some with AK-47's, some with pistols, another with a shotgun. All carried cellular push-to-talk phones.

Faisal even had a guard dog -- a Rottweiler straining at his henchman handler's leash.

Faisal himself was armed with a pistol and a machete (He wanted to be the one to lop off Tony Jr.'s head personally.)

"Naseem, begin the ceremony," said Faisal. He then looked around, only to find that Naseem was nowhere in sight.

"Where is Naseem?" Faisal asked the crowd.

"Naseem left," said Tony Jr. "He went back to the Middle East."

"How do you know this?" Faisal inquired.

"He told me," Tony Jr. replied.

"No matter," said Faisal. "Let us continue with the ceremony."

"I thought only Naseem knew the ceremony?" asked a henchman.

"I'll _THINK _of something!" Faisal snapped. He then drew a 9mm Beretta out of his waistband and pointed it at Tony Jr.'s temple.

"You … on your knees," Faisal commanded Tony Jr.

Tony Jr. obeyed, getting down on one knee. As he dropped down on one knee, Faisal kicked him in the shoulder, sending him facedown onto the ground.

As Tony Jr. lay down on the ground, Faisal grabbed him by the throat and stood him up on his knees.

With his left hand, Faisal held Tony Jr. up by the back of his shirt collar. With his right hand, he held the machete high in the air, preparing to bring it down on Tony Jr.'s neck.

Just as Faisal was about to swing the machete, it disappeared into thin air!

Faisal stared up at his now-empty hand. _What the …?_

All at once, the air was filled with the sound of a loud CRASH, followed by a series of short, sharp BOOMS.

"The warehouses!" Faisal commanded. "Check the cars!"

* * *

At the warehouse, Faisal, his henchmen, and Tony Jr. were greeted with the sight of ten cars and three trucks with their tires slashed.

(Actually, "slashed" didn't quite do the tires justice. "Shredded" was probably a better description for them.)

Faisal's SUV -- his Cadillac Escalade, his pride and joy -- had been flipped over onto its passenger side (Its tires too having been shredded.)

"WHO _DID_ THIS?" Faisal bellowed.

Faisal's henchmen stared searchingly at each other.

"Looks like some sort of wild animal," commented one henchman as he surveyed the wreckage.

A clap of thunder rang out overhead. Bolts of mystical lightning suddenly rained down upon Faisal and his men.

_What have I summoned?_ Faisal anxiously wondered as he and his men scurried to dodge the bolts. _What is going on here?_

"You … and you. Stay here with the boy," Faisal commanded, gesturing to two henchmen. His voice quavered as he struggled to maintain his composure. "The rest of you, spread out! Spread out and search the area."

"FIND IT!" Faisal commanded. He was now in full-on panic mode "Find it and _KILL _it!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six

* * *

**

Three henchmen -- two armed with AK-47's, one thin, bald henchman armed with a shotgun -- walked through the swamp.

A loud ROAR filled the air. The three henchmen suddenly found themselves face-to-face with an angry tiger!

"I never knew there were tigers in The Everglades," said one henchman.

"Who cares? Shoot it!" said the henchman wielding the shotgun. With that, all three henchmen fired on the tiger.

The tiger charged towards the henchmen, seemingly unaffected by the hail of bullets. The tiger then disappeared into thin air mid-stride!

"Where'd it go?" asked one henchman wielding an AK-47.

The tiger reappeared behind the henchman with the shotgun, roared, and pounced on his back, sending him to the ground.

The other two henchmen ran off into the swamp, leaving the third henchman behind with the tiger on his back, screaming for dear life.

The tiger then disappeared into thin air.

* * *

_No time like the present, _Tony Jr. thought as Faisal left him and two henchmen behind while they searched for the creature. He then concentrated … _I wish I was far away from here _… and blinked.

Tony Jr. then disappeared into thin air.

* * *

_Where _IS _it? _Faisal wondered as he searched the swamp with the dog handler and his Rottweiler.

Faisal's cell phone chirped. "Faisal," he answered.

"Sir … the boy. He's escaped," said a henchman at the other end of the line.

"I will take care of it," said Faisal. He then turned to the dog handler and said, "Find the boy."

* * *

The henchman with the shotgun walked hesitantly through the swamp, weapon at the ready.

The tiger suddenly appeared before him out of nowhere, let out a roar, and pounced on his chest.

"GET ... OFF ME!" the henchman cried as he struggled to push the tiger off his chest. Just as soon as the tiger appeared, it disappeared once more.

_What kind of tiger _IS _this? _the henchman wondered.

* * *

Tony Jr. emerged just outside the compound, his wrists bound as before.

_I wish was free of these ropes, _Tony Jr. thought. He blinked, and the ropes fell away onto the ground.

Now free, Tony Jr. ran off into the swamp, into the night.

* * *

The thin, bald henchman with the shotgun glanced around, shotgun at the ready.

The tiger appeared behind him, let out a roar, and pounced on the henchman's back. The henchman screamed.

Just as quickly as it appeared, the tiger disappeared into thin air.

* * *

"We found his ropes," said a henchman with an AK-47 to the henchman with the Rottweiler.

The dog handler picked up the ropes, held them up to the Rottweiler's nose, and said to the dog, "Find `em, boy ... find `em."

* * *

The thin, bald henchman with the shotgun fired shot after shot at the charging tiger ... to no avail. The tiger kept charging forward.

"Nice kitty," said the henchman with a wave and grin to the tiger, a pathetic attempt at supplication. "Staaay ..."

The tiger, ignoring him, let out a roar and pounced on his chest.

* * *

Tony Jr. thrashed wildly through the swamp, pushing his way through thickets of grass. His breathing labored, his chest heaved with exhaustion.

_Keep moving, _Tony Jr. thought. _I don't know _where_ I'm going, but I can't go back_ THERE.

Tony Jr.'s legs suddenly gave way under him, sending him facedown onto the ground.

_What's going_ ON_ here? _ Tony Jr. thought as he struggled to get up. His legs refused to budge, however.

As if that wasn't bad enough, the sound of a barking dog could be heard in the distance.

_Great,_ Tony Jr. thought bitterly as he tried to get up. _The dog._

_ I shouldn't be _THIS_ tired, _Tony Jr. thought, puzzled._  
_

Tony Jr. felt something bite his leg. He turned around to find a snarling, growling Rottweiler clamping its jaws around his ankle.

"Get him, boy! GET HIM!" his henchman handler called after him.

All at once, the Rottweiler was suddenly transformed into a white rabbit!

The handler stared at the rabbit, jaw agape. _Wha' …? _

_Tell me … Would you like to join your friend? _Jeannie cooed to the handler telepathically.

Upon hearing this, the handler let out a blood-curdling scream of mortal terror and bolted from the scene as fast as his legs could carry him.

It was then that Tony Jr. disappeared into thin air once more.

* * *

"Anthony … Anthony," Jeannie called out to Tony Jr. as she gently patted his face, trying to get his attention. They were both deep in the swamp, several hundred meters away from the site of the dog attack.

Tony Jr. found himself on his back, sprawled out on the ground. He looked up to find Jeannie crouched over him.

Tony Jr. breathed a sigh of relief. "Mom," he said. "Thank God you're here."

"Are you all right?" Jeannie asked, concerned.

Tony Jr. shook his head … No. "Can't move my legs," he said weakly.

Jeannie's face fell. "What is wrong?" she asked, concerned. "What happened?"

Tony Jr. sat up. "So tired," he said, exhausted. "Can't move a ... muscle."

Jeannie gently embraced Tony Jr. "Shh …" she said softly. She then blinked. Tony Jr.'s body suddenly went limp in her arms.

Tony Jr. was now in a deep sleep.

_Sleep, my son, _Jeannie thought as she lay Tony Jr. back down on the ground. _Rest. _

Jeannie blinked again. Tony Jr. seemed to disappear into thin air, his body concealed and protected by an enchantment.

Jeannie folded her arms in front of her chest.

_I do not wish to do this,_ Jeannie thought. _But Faisal must be stopped._

_So long as he walks free, he is a threat to _BOTH_ of us._

Jeannie blinked and disappeared into thin air. _I _WILL _return._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven

* * *

**

"What IS this thing?" Faisal asked one of his henchman as they walked through the dark swamp.

"Beats me," the henchman replied. He carried an AK-47 slung over his shoulder. "A monster, if you ask me."

"Christ, thing must be HUGE!" the henchman interjected. "Did you _SEE_ what it did to your SUV?"

A feminine voice called out from behind Faisal, "_FAISAL ST. GREGORY!_"

Faisal turned around. Jeannie stood at twenty paces behind him, her arms folded in front of her chest in a fighting posture.

"Who are you?" Faisal barked.

"I am Anthony's mother," said Jeannie.

"What do you want?" Faisal growled.

"I seek justice," Jeannie growled in reply.

"Leave us," said Faisal as he turned to leave.

Jeannie blinked. All at once, Faisal found himself trapped in an invisible, enchanted box!

Faisal turned back towards Jeannie. "WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" he bellowed.

"Boss, do you know who this woman _IS?_" the henchman asked Faisal nervously.

"No … and I do not care," Faisal replied flatly.

"She's Anthony's mother," said the henchman.

"I heard her the _FIRST _time!" Faisal shot back.

"You don't get it, do you?" said the henchman.

"Get WHAT?" Faisal snapped.

"She's Anthony's _mother," _said the henchman. _"_The other GENIE … the one Naseem WARNED you about!

"The shredded tires … The bolts of lightning," the henchman continued. "She's BEHIND all of that!"

Faisal pulled a cell phone out of his jacket pocket, pushed a button, and shouted, "This is Faisal! We have a situation west of the warehouse! WE HAVE A SITUATION WEST OF THE WAREHOUSE!"

"Your men cannot hear you, Faisal," said Jeannie quietly. "No one is coming."

"This is Faisal! Answer me! ANSWER ME!" Faisal screamed into the phone.

"No one can hear you," said Jeannie.

Frustrated, Faisal threw the phone down onto the ground. He then commanded his henchman, "Don't just stand there, _KILL HER!_"

The henchman pointed his rifle at Jeannie. Jeannie blinked, and the rifle disappeared.

Jeannie blinked again. The henchman was trapped inside an invisible, enchanted box!

After this, the henchman turned and looked at Faisal. _Your call …_

Upon seeing this, Faisal's eyes bulged in anger. He snorted, pulled a pistol out of his waistband, and shouted in frustration, "MUST I DO EVERYTHING _MYSELF?!_"

Faisal aimed the pistol at Jeannie. Jeannie blinked ... and the pistol vanished.

Jeannie blinked again. Jeannie, Faisal, and the henchman all disappeared.

* * *

Jeannie, Faisal, and the henchman reappeared in the center of the compound.

Faisal slammed his palm on the invisible box. "You'll pay _DEARLY _for this!" he roared.

Jeannie turned and began to walk away. The sounds of approaching police sirens were heard in the distance.

"Where are you _GOING?_" Faisal called after Jeannie.

"I am leaving you and your friend to explain to the sheriff ... how you came to have four tons of marijuana sitting in those warehouses," said Jeannie. "I am sure he will find whatever it is you have to say … _most_ interesting."

Jeannie blinked and vanished.

"NASEEM!" Faisal screamed in desperation as echoing evil laughter filled the air. "_NASEEM!_"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight

* * *

**

HADJI'S PALACE

DJINNISTAN

* * *

Tony Jr. lay sprawled out on a divan, flat on his back and covered by a sheet, deep asleep.

Jeannie sat at the foot of the divan, cleaning Tony Jr.'s dog bite wounds on his ankle with a sponge soaked in vinegar. Today, she wore a silver-beaded white harem outfit.

Tony Jr.'s ankle jerked and twitched as Jeannie wiped it with the sponge. "I know it hurts," said Jeannie quietly to her sleeping son. "At the same time, it will keep the infection down."

Her work finished, Jeannie put the sponge away in a nearby bowl filled with vinegar. She blinked … a cloth bandage appeared in her hand.

Jeannie gently wrapped the bandage around Tony Jr.'s chewed-up ankle. She then cupped her hands around his ankle and blinked. His ankle was suddenly bathed in a glowing white aura.

After a while, the aura disappeared. Jeannie unwrapped the bandage. Not a trace remained of the dog bite on Tony Jr's ankle.

Tony Jr.'s ankle had been completely healed!

Jeannie edged closer to the middle of the divan and gently placed her palm on Tony Jr.'s forehead, feeling his temperature.

Jeannie frowned. _He is burning up, _she thought, concerned. She then folded her arms and blinked. The temperature in the room instantly dropped thirty degrees!

_Thank the Most High for air conditioning, _Jeannie thought with a smile.

Tony Jr. opened his eyes, stirred, sat up, and looked around the room. _Where _AM _I? _He wondered.

"Anthony," said Jeannie, getting his attention.

Tony Jr. looked at Jeannie and excitedly embraced her. "Mom," he said, tears forming in his eyes.

Jeannie gently returned the embrace.

"It is over," Jeannie said softly. "It is finished."

Tony Jr. looked around the room. The ancient stone walls of the room were draped in silk and pink taffeta. The divan was surrounded by candles, burning oil lamps, and ancient stone urns. Light streamed through a nearby antique window.

"Where am I?" Tony Jr. inquired.

"You are in Djinnistan," Jeannie replied.

"Djinnistan …"

"In my room … at Hadji's palace," Jeannie continued.

"Hadji lets you keep a room here?" Tony Jr. asked.

"It is one of the … _perks_, as you might say … of being his favorite genie," Jeannie replied with a smile.

Tony Jr. looked up at Jeannie. "I owe you my life," he said. _I could've been killed!_

"Think nothing of it, my son," said Jeannie. "I am glad you are safe."

Tony Jr. embraced Jeannie once more. "Thank you," he said.

Jeannie smiled, held Tony Jr. close, and stroked the back of his head. _Please, don't let this moment end,_ she thought.

* * *

"Tiger … Tiger … Tiger," said the thin, bald-headed man. He was sitting on the floor against the wall, bound in a straitjacket (_sans _shotgun) in the mental ward at Miami Memorial Hospital.

"Tiger … Tiger … Tiger …" he kept repeating, over and over again.

*************

In a nearby room, a nurse watched the bald-headed man mutter the word "tiger" over and over again on a closed-circuit TV monitor.

A physician wearing a white lab coat and a stethoscope around his neck entered the ward, locking the door behind him.

"What's with Mr. Tiger?" the physician asked the nurse as he entered the nurse's station.

"Police brought him in earlier this evening," said the nurse as she handed the bald-headed man's chart to the physician. "Him and a few other people ... Part of a drug raid in the Everglades."

"Really …"

"Sorry lot, they were," said the nurse. "Couple guys were covered with boils. Couple others had running sores all over their bodies. One other guy was covered with scorpion bites.

"You'd have thought they were hit by the Ten Plagues," said the nurse.

**********

The thin, bald-headed man in the straitjacket rocked back-and-forth, back-and-forth against the wall, repeating the words "Tiger … Tiger … Tiger …" over and over again.

* * *

Faisal sat on the floor of a padded cell at the Florida State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, bound in a straitjacket.

He was in the hospital awaiting trial on multiple charges of drug trafficking, solicitation of murder, and one count each of kidnapping and attempted murder (It seems he landed in the hospital by telling the judge that the hits were carried out by his "genie", Naseem. Upon hearing this, the judge promptly declared him mentally incompetent to stand trial.)

"NASEEM!" Faisal plaintively called out to the air. "NASEEM! _NASEEM!_"

THE END


End file.
